Etowah County system honors teachers, support staff member of year

Published: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 6:23 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 6:24 p.m.

Teachers Farrah Kilgo and Anita Campbell and support staff member Apache Smothers recently were honored by Etowah County Schools.

Kilgo, the system’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, is a fourth-grade teacher at Ivalee Elementary School.

Campbell, the Secondary Teacher of the year, teaches grades 9 through 12 at Gaston School.

Smothers, the inaugural Support Staff Member of the Year winner, is the lunchroom manager at Hokes Bluff Middle School.

“I’m really exited about it,” Smothers said of the award. “It’s really an honor. I really love my job, and I have so many (people) who back me, making my job easy.”

Smothers mentioned the support she’s received from Hokes Bluff Middle Principal Dena Cook and Child Nutrition Director Laura Parker, as well as fun events the school has done this year, like a food show, and receiving a grant.

Kilgo is in her 13th year of teaching. She’s been with Etowah County Schools for 11 years and at Ivalee Elementary for three years.

She said she was “humbled and honored” to win the award, adding, “Our system has so many fabulous teachers, many of whom I’ve learned from, leaned on, and (who) have inspired me become the teacher I am today.“

Kilgo previously was honored as West End Elementary’s 2007-08 Teacher of the Year, and in 2008 won the Chiquita Marbury Technology Innovation Award, sponsored by the Alabama State Department of Education.

Campbell, a 28-year veteran of Etowah County Schools, has been named Gaston’s Teacher of the Year four times since she moved there from Sardis in 1986. She said it’s her first time being named a systemwide teacher of the year, however.

She said she was proud of the award “because the system has so many wonderful and dedicated teachers.”

Campbell said she’s been asked in recent years to attend many conferences and training sessions as a school representative, and she was selected in 2009-2010 to be part of Alabama’s Teach 21 technology initiative, receiving a 21st Century classroom for her participation.

<p>Teachers Farrah Kilgo and Anita Campbell and support staff member Apache Smothers recently were honored by Etowah County Schools.</p><p>Kilgo, the system's Elementary Teacher of the Year, is a fourth-grade teacher at Ivalee Elementary School.</p><p>Campbell, the Secondary Teacher of the year, teaches grades 9 through 12 at Gaston School.</p><p>Smothers, the inaugural Support Staff Member of the Year winner, is the lunchroom manager at Hokes Bluff Middle School. </p><p>“I'm really exited about it,” Smothers said of the award. “It's really an honor. I really love my job, and I have so many (people) who back me, making my job easy.”</p><p>Smothers mentioned the support she's received from Hokes Bluff Middle Principal Dena Cook and Child Nutrition Director Laura Parker, as well as fun events the school has done this year, like a food show, and receiving a grant.</p><p>Kilgo is in her 13th year of teaching. She's been with Etowah County Schools for 11 years and at Ivalee Elementary for three years.</p><p>She said she was “humbled and honored” to win the award, adding, “Our system has so many fabulous teachers, many of whom I've learned from, leaned on, and (who) have inspired me become the teacher I am today.“</p><p>Kilgo previously was honored as West End Elementary's 2007-08 Teacher of the Year, and in 2008 won the Chiquita Marbury Technology Innovation Award, sponsored by the Alabama State Department of Education.</p><p>Campbell, a 28-year veteran of Etowah County Schools, has been named Gaston's Teacher of the Year four times since she moved there from Sardis in 1986. She said it's her first time being named a systemwide teacher of the year, however. </p><p>She said she was proud of the award “because the system has so many wonderful and dedicated teachers.”</p><p>Campbell said she's been asked in recent years to attend many conferences and training sessions as a school representative, and she was selected in 2009-2010 to be part of Alabama's Teach 21 technology initiative, receiving a 21st Century classroom for her participation.</p>